The trip was wonderful. Kantun was a great guide. He did a good job explaining the Balinese culture and different sites we visited.

Today my husband and I enjoyed a full day private tour of Bali water temples and the UNESCO terraced rice paddies. It was a highlight of our time in Bali. Our driver/guide, Ma-de, was incredible! He picked us up promptly at 8 am at our hotel and proceeded to explain how the day would be structured. His English was great and he was very personable, extremely knowledgeable about the history and culture of Bali, and keenly attentive to my husband’s need for extra help walking. Ma-de provided us with plenty of cold bottled water and his van was clean, comfortable and the air conditioning worked great. He was also an expert driver on the narrow roads. We always felt very safe with him. We started off driving to Ulun Danu Bratan temple, a must-see destination. It’s located on a lake and completely stunning. We lucked out because we arrived early enough that most tourists hadn’t descended on it yet. Our next stop involved driving about 1 ½ hours to the Jatiluwih Green Land to see the terraced rice paddies. To say that they were awe inspiring would be an understatement. For as far as you can see, the lush green rice fields captivate your attention. As it turned out (actually, it was carefully planned), we ended up at the rice fields just in time for our included lunch. The restaurant where we ate was directly across the road from the rice paddies, so we enjoyed a fabulous Balinese buffet while being transfixed by the verdant fields in front of us. After lunch, we set off for another 1 ½ hour drive, this time to Tanah Lot temple, one of the most iconic temples in all of Bali. It’s made up of several temples, but the most recognizable are the two that perch atop rocks out in the ocean. Again, we lucked out with crowd size as there were very few tourists there while we visited. Part of it had to do with the fact that it was about 3 pm on a Monday since most people like to visit around sunset. No matter what time of day, this is a must-see temple if you’re in Bali. After that we returned to our hotel while Ma-de continued to educate us about his home. All in all, it was worth every penny and more. We feel like we saw the “real” Bali. Learning about the people, the arts, and the culture from a local was enriching and enlightening. It reminded us of why we like to travel so much. If you have a chance to experience this tour, take it! And be sure to request Ma-de.

We had a great day visiting some really cool sites. We needed to modify the agenda when we got in the car and Benik helped us adjust to fit our time schedule. Really enjoyed the rice fields and were lucky enough to be at one of the temples during a ceremony. Thanks to Benik for the information he shared during our visit.